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Dennis
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Dennis has been honing his craft by writing content specifically tailored to the US and Canadian market for the last 3 years. This helps him recognize the preferences of the audience and adeptly create engaging and informative articles, reviews, and guides that resonate with the readers. He uses his experience reviewing tech products to test out various betting platforms and fact-check claims so you make informed decisions.
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Amy Webb
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Amy's introduction to the gambling world was 6 years ago, when she joined a casino operator as a content specialist. Since then, she's helped launch and maintain gambling review sites in over 8 different countries. She's tested dozens of casinos and sportsbooks, which is how she can spot a subpar brand in an instant!
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British Columbia Sports Betting | Legal & Safe Options
British Columbia Betting
At LegalBet Canada, our team has tested 25+ private Canadian sportsbooks. The two sportsbooks that stand out in terms of odds, betting markets, live streaming, brand reputation, payment modes, and customer support are:
- bet365
- Bet99
Another good option for British Columbians is the provincial lottery site i.e. PlayNow.
But how does it stack up against the private sportsbooks?
Here’s comparing their odds, betting markets, betting tools, payment modes, etc. to help you make better betting choices.
PlayNow Vs Private Sportsbooks
Licenses and Trustworthiness
PlayNow is regulated by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (a corporation owned by BC’s provincial government that manages all gambling and betting products).
This makes PlayNow the only 100% legal option available to bettors in BC.
On the other hand, private sportsbooks aren’t regulated in British Columbia. That’s because BC does not have a regulatory framework for them, as seen with Ontario.
However, you can still use any private sportsbook without legal repercussions.
The difficulty is to find trusted private sportsbooks where you can deposit, withdraw, make bets, etc., safely and securely.
This is why we recommend Bet99 and Bet365. Not only are these platforms tested regularly, but they also have an iGo license, which means they have the seal of approval from iGaming Ontario.
iGaming Ontario, a subsidiary of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, regulates and manages private sportsbooks in Ontario.
Furthermore, they also undergo audits from internationally accepted testing agencies. For example, bet365 is audited by eCogra, whereas Bet99 is audited by GLI (Gaming Labs International).
To top that, both brands have strong partnerships. For example, Bet99 has partnered with the NHL, while bet365 has partnered with some of the biggest soccer teams in the English Premier League.
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All three sportsbooks are equally safe. PlayNow is the only legal option, while you can use private sportsbooks without legal repercussions.
Odds
Well, now that you know about safety and security, let’s dive into the features, starting with the odds for the NHL, NBA, and MLB.
Note: All odds are true at the time of writing and are subject to change closer to the matchday.
NHL Odds
Let’s start with one of Canada’s most loved NHL teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who take on the Boston Bruins.
| PlayNow | Bet99 | bet365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Leafs | 1.95 | 2.00 | 1.95 |
| Boston Bruins | 1.86 | 1.83 | 1.86 |
For the above match, Bet99 has the highest odds for the Maple Leafs, while both bet365 and PlayNow have the higher odds for the underdogs.
Next up, is the LA Kings vs the EDM Oilers.
| PlayNow | Bet99 | bet365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LA Kings | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.55 |
| EDM Oilers | 1.55 | 1.57 | 1.54 |
Bet99 again has the higher odds for the favourites i.e. the EDM Oilers, while bet365 has the higher odds for the underdogs (LA Kings).
NBA Odds
| PlayNow | Bet99 | bet365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | 1.83 | 1.91 | 1.83 |
| LA Lakers | 2.00 | 1.91 | 2.00 |
For the above match, Bet99 again has the higher odds for the favourites (Denver Nuggets), while bet365 and PlayNow have the higher odds for the underdogs (LA Lakers).
| PlayNow | Bet99 | bet365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLE Cavaliers | 2.00 | 2.05 | 2.00 |
| Orlando Magic | 1.83 | 1.80 | 1.83 |
In this case, Bet99 again has the higher odds for the underdogs (CLE Cavaliers), while bet365 and PlayNow have the higher odds for the favourites (Orlando Magic).
MLB Odds
| PlayNow | Bet99 | bet365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NY Mets | 2.25 | 2.30 | 2.25 |
| SF Giants | 1.68 | 1.68 | 1.66 |
| PlayNow | Bet99 | bet365 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAL Orioles | 1.68 | 1.68 | 1.66 |
| LA Angels | 2.25 | 2.30 | 2.25 |
The trend is similar for both MLB matches. Bet99 and PlayNow have higher odds for the favourites than bet365.
On the other hand, Bet99 has higher odds for the underdogs in both instances.
While there are instances of PlayNow’s odds being at par with Bet99 and bet365, they generally offer the higher odds.
Furthermore, we have seen them improve the odds closer to the matches, especially the important ones like the Stanley Cup finals and the Super Bowl.
That brings us to betting markets.
Betting Markets
We were pleasantly surprised to see the number of betting markets and prop bets on PlayNow. In all the provincial sites we have reviewed up to now, we found betting markets lacking (for example, Play Alberta had fewer props, while Pro-Line had only basic markets).
However, PlayNow not only went toe to toe with Bet99 and bet365 for regular markets, but also prop bets.
PlayNow also had prop bets like Quarters and Halves, Team Props, and Game Props for the NBA and NHL, making them a good choice if you are looking for a wide range of betting markets.
We’ll have to call this a tie. All three brands feature a good number of prop bets and other betting markets.
Welcome Bonus
| Bet99 | bet365 | PlayNow | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonus Type | 100% deposit match | Bet Credits | Bet Credits |
| Max Bonus | $600 | $50 | $150 |
| Min Amount | $20 | $10 | $10 |
| Validity | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Min Odds | 1.80 | 1.20 | N/A |
| Wager Reqr | 5 times | N/A | N/A |
Bet99 offers a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $600, whereas bet365 and PlayNow offer bet credits or tokens.
Let’s understand the differences in detail.
Deposit match bonuses are great for anyone who understands the nuances of wagering requirements and wants a bigger reward.
The reward is bigger because with these bonuses you get to withdraw the bonus amount as well.
Furthermore, you get the bonus immediately after making the deposit rather than having to place a qualifying bet.
On the other hand, bet credits are better for newbies as they do not have wagering requirements. You get more flexibility on how you want to use them. Plus, the odds requirement is usually lower.
However, you get bet credits after placing qualifying bets. And when you place bets using these credits, you do not get to withdraw the initial stake.
Well, now that you understand both bonus types, let’s dive deeper into the bonuses offered by bet99, bet365 and PlayNow.
Bet99 Bonus
The 100% deposit match bonus of up to $600 on Bet99 has a 5x wagering requirement on the bonus amount.
This is much lower than most other sportsbooks (like Bwin, Sports Interaction, etc.) where the wagering requirement varies between 6-8 times.
So, if you deposit $100, you’d get a $100 bonus, which would total $200 in your wallet.
The 5x wagering requirement means you need to place bets worth $500 (bonus amount of $100 x 5).
Plus, you need to ensure the odds for the matches you bet on are 1.80 or higher.
Sign up and have the chance to grab a 100% deposit match of up to $600.
SIGN UPComing to bet365 and PlayNow,
Well, PlayNow gives you a 100% deposit match offer up to $150 in bet credits. This is much higher than the $50 bonus you get on bet365.
Plus, there are no odds requirements either.
You need only play through your first deposit, which should be between $10 and $150.
Oh, and don’t forget to use the code 150MATCH (easy peasy, right?).
To top it all, PlayNow also has a rewards program called the Encore Rewards, where you can earn points for playing online or offline at BC casinos. Not only that, you also get rewards for dining at these casinos.
Every 200 points makes $1 in free play. To be able to redeem the points at PlayNow, you’ll need a total of 1000 points as they have a minimum limit of $5 free play.
Food and games? Sounds like a win-win to us.
Note: You cannot use your free plays on Live Casino, Table games, Poker and Video Poker on PlayNow. And if you do it offline at BC casinos, you cannot use them for Poker.
Compared to this bet365 has a $50 bonus. For this, you need to place a bet with a minimum of $10 and qualifying odds of 1.20.
The odds requirement means you do not have the same flexibility when picking a match as you did with PlayNow.
The one good thing about bet365 here is that they give you the option of another bonus, the First Bet Safety Net bonus.
This is a much bigger deposit match bonus of up to $1,000 in credits.
To get the bonus, you need to make a deposit anywhere between $10 to $1,000 and place bets (no odds requirement). However, note that if you place two or more bets on the same bet slip, the first bet is considered the qualifying bet.
Furthermore, you only get the credits if your bet loses.
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All in all, Bet365 offers multiple bonuses. However, the PlayNow bonus is simpler to understand and obtain, and the bonus is bigger. Plus, they have a rewards program.
User-Friendliness
When navigating around the three sportsbooks on the desktop, we found it much easier on Bet99 and bet365 to find popular leagues like the NHL, NBA, MLS, MLB, etc.
That’s because Bet99 has a section in the menu known as ‘Top Leagues’ that gives you instant access to matches from all the popular and latest leagues that Canadians love.
Similarly, bet365 also has a ‘Popular’ section on the left-hand sidebar.
However, we did not find anything like it on PlayNow. To access the NHL matches, you’ll first have to choose ‘Hockey’ from the sidebar.
From there, you’ll need to select ‘North America’ and then the ‘NHL’.
Quite the long road, right?
Furthermore, Bet99 and bet365 are available in French, whereas PlayNow is available only in English.
Plus, help is readily available on Bet99 and bet365. You can find access to the customer chat on Bet99 in the top right-hand corner of the window.
On the other hand, bet365 has the ‘Help’ section in the same position, giving you quick access to FAQs and the option to start a live chat.
Contrary to this, PlayNow requires you to scroll all the way to the footer to start a live chat.
Live Stream
When it comes to live streaming, bet365 is our top choice.
While both Bet99 and bet365 offer live streams, we found more variety on bet365.
You won’t just find NHL and NBA matches on bet365; there are also basketball leagues from Korea and New Zealand, greyhound races, horse racing, more tennis matches, cricket, etc.
Furthermore, bet365 is the only sportsbook that offers audio commentary. This feature is handy if you bet on soccer, greyhound races, or cricket matches.
On the other hand, the live stream on Bet99 is limited to only a few popular leagues, like the NHL, NBA, etc., while we didn’t find any live stream option on PlayNow.
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Not only does bet365 stream more matches, they have HD streaming. Plus, the Watch and Bet feature allows you bet on phone without having to minimize the live stream.
Statistics Tool
We believe betting is not just about luck but also about being on top of the numbers game. This is why we are glad bet365 has a detailed stats section.
You can easily access and view the stats for any team by clicking the stats icon.
Once on the stats page, you’ll find details like a team’s number of victories, the number of goals scored, the highest margin of victory, head-to-heads, odds for previous matches, recent form, etc.
Scrolling below, you’ll also find stats for each player.
You can also switch teams and leagues, view fixtures, full league tables, etc., via the menu on the statistics page, making the experience very user-friendly.
Coming to Bet99 and PlayNow, Bet99 only provides basic stats on their match page and the in-play betting pages. On the other hand, PlayNow, shows stats only during in-play betting.
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Only bet365 has a detailed stats page that allows you stay on top of the numbers for all leagues and matches and make better bets.
Education Guides
Both PlayNow and Bet99 have extensive education sections.
These sections are perfect for newbies who want to learn about betting and casino games in depth.
From a glossary of the common betting terms, guides on how to place bets, mistakes, and explanations of the various bet types, there’s every detail you need to know on PlayNow.
In fact, they go a step further and give the users demos of each live casino game, such as blackjack and roulette., to help them understand the rules and steps.
Bet99 also has detailed guides. However, we believe live demos are a more engaging way of teaching new users how to play casino games, so PlayNow wins it for us.
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Bet99 and PlayNow offer detailed guides on sports betting. However, for casino games PlayNow offers video demos that explain the game better.
Notifications and Alerts
Bet99 allows you to mark leagues as favourites and add them to the ‘Top Leagues’ menu we discussed above.
On the other hand, PlayNow allows you to ‘Pin’ matches of interest, so you can quickly revisit them when needed.
While bet365 does not have these options, they allow you to set notifications and alerts for certain sports (that Bet99 and PlayNow do not). Here’s a complete list of the sports and the alerts you can create for them on your desktop, tablet, or mobile.
- Soccer—Kickoff, Goals, Corners, Substitutions, Yellow and Red Cards, Halftime Result, Full Time Result, Penalties, and Penalties Missed. You can also create team-specific alerts for up to a week or the entire season.
- Tennis – Start of Match, Final Score, Game Results and Set Results.
- Basketball – Start of Match, Start of Quarter, Start of Half, Result of Quarter, Half Time Result, Result of Match and Point by Point Score.
This is really beneficial for anyone who cannot watch the live stream but wants to keep tabs on the scores and latest updates.
In fact, you don’t even need to bet. This could be you simply keeping tabs on the score of your favourite team without the need for another app.
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To ensure you see the notifications for the set alerts, don’t forget to first ‘Allow’ notification on Chrome on your desktop.
DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM in British Columbia
DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM are not available to users from British Columbia. This is because these sportsbooks operate only in regulated markets like Ontario.
However, the alternatives mentioned below are at par (if not better) than DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM regarding odds, betting markets, customer support, apps, user-friendliness, etc.
![Top Quebec Online Casino Options [2024 Comparison]](https://legalbetcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/quebec-online-casino.jpg)
User comments
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